Calls grow to ditch impending VAT hike on concert tickets

UK Music chief executive Jamie Njoku-Goodwin has written to UK Chancellor Rishi Sunak to reconsider an impending VAT hike on concert tickets. The Chancellor is set to outline a mini-Budget for the country on March 23 in his Spring Statement. The VAT rise is set to come into force from April 1. Currently, the VAT …

Chelsea unable to sell tickets after Abramovich sanctioned by UK Government 

English Premier League football club Chelsea will not be able to sell new tickets to matches following the sanctioning of Russian owner Roman Abramovich. Abramovich has been sanctioned by the UK Government due to his close ties with Russian leader Vladimir Putin. Putin ordered the invasion of neighbouring country Ukraine on February 24 and a …

Businesses urged to apply for leftover Government COVID support grants

English businesses are being urged to keep applying for £840m ($1.3bn/€1bn) worth of COVID-19 support grants, which are still available. Parliamentary Under-Secretary (Department for Business, Energy and Industrial Strategy), Paul Scully, has urged businesses to apply for the grants, which were made available by the Government to councils across the country. Funding is made up …

Covid passes in England to be scrapped from Thursday next week

The UK Government confirmed this (Wednesday) lunchtime that so-called ‘Plan B’ restrictions will be eased in England from Thursday, January 27, meaning COVID-19 passes will no longer be required for entering sport and entertainment venues, events and nightclubs. UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson also announced that face masks will no longer be required, but should be …

2021 in review – February

February saw light at the end of the tunnel for sports and live entertainment fans in England as the UK Government published a roadmap out of a coronavirus-enforced lockdown.  It was announced that up to 10,000 fans could return to outdoor events from May 17, with all restrictions to be eventually removed in the summer. …

2021 in review – August

With the return of live entertainment and sporting events, it appeared to be the beginning of the road to recovery for many in August.  Arguably the biggest news of the month emerged at the unlikely time of 5.30pm on a Friday evening, when the UK Government slipped out the news that large events could be …

NTIA reacts to potential vaccine passports in England

Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association (NTIA), has cautioned against the widespread introduction of COVID-19 vaccine passports in England. Ministers are expected to sign off on new COVID-19 rules to introduce vaccine certification in England, according to reports from the Guardian. The so-called ‘Plan B’ has been discussed frequently amid rising …

UK Government’s final Events Research Programme findings published

The UK Government recently published its final reports from the Events Research Programme (ERP) with findings on the spread of COVID-19 at sporting and live music events that took place with restrictions in place and once they were lifted.  The report found that improvements to strategies surrounding air quality and ventilation would help to mitigate …